Safehouse [Takui/Raine]

[Marshmallow]

The winding, old road had led her here, to an overgrown fence at the mouth of a secluded little valley. It continued beyond the gates and the clearly marked No Trespassing signs, vanishing into the stormy gloom. Brief flashes of lightning illuminated the distant outlines of buildings further in. A rush of wind whipped through the trees and thunder rolled down the mountainsides in warning. Take your chances here, or in the storm. She wasn’t likely to find a better alternative.

Takui grimaced as she scaled the fence, the exertion causing fractured ribs to protest with jabs of sharp, searing pain. In her haste to avoid getting lost in the oncoming storm she had likely just compounded the injury. Despite the sting of every deep breath, she pushed onward.

It was more than just a house nestled in the valley, though less than a compound. Not military, which was a relief. Civilian, a wealthy one. There was a large manor house surrounded by various smaller structures: garden sheds, storage barns, and even an old chapel around back. As far as she could tell, everything looked well-kept but oddly deserted. There were no visible tire tracks, no footprints, no sight or smell of guardsmen or groundskeepers. Was this someone’s vacation home, left to gather dust in the off-season? If she could be so lucky.

An old-fashioned water mill sat alongside a stream that ran down the east side of the property. It was far enough from the main buildings to make an ideal refuge to wait out the storm. Isolated, unassuming, unlikely to attract attention.

The door was locked, but a window opened without much difficulty. No sooner had she closed it behind her than the skies opened up and rain began pelting down.

Temporary shelter secured, now it was time to take stock of her spent supplies and patch herself up. Rest could come later.

[Salandis]

It was a cold, stormy afternoon in the manor, darkening towards evening and gloomy with a heavy mountain storm. Raine was in his study, ensconced on an older leather chair drawn close to a (sadly artificial) fireplace. He was wrapped in a heavily quilted gown, tucked into a blanket, and reading. A rather large snifter of cognac was on a table beside him, the ice long melted. He was starting to think about the trek to the kitchen when a discreet chime came from his desk.

He walked over, bringing up a reluctantly updated computer system. Raine’s distaste for technology had mostly sprung from how much he damaged it just by touching the damn stuff, but a mechanical keyboard and enough distance allowed for much. Ever paranoid, he flattered himself that the CCTV setup he had installed was well hidden and maintained. He was watching the motion-activated footage when the phone on his desk buzzed.

“We have a visitor, sir.” Raine grimaced. His Irish family had become insistent that he keep a staff, and the young man in question was unfailingly polite. And had entirely too much starch. Even his accent was more British, somehow, despite being American-born of Irish stock.

“Aye, Nicholas.” Raine responded, his eyes watching the figure who had trekked over the lawns and into the mill. “Here I was just thinking of going out to say hello.”

“The police can do that, sir,” Nick responded pointedly, and Raine grinned. “You know full well it will take the police hours to get out here, Nick.” He watched the stranger’s entrance again. Sharp eyes had assessed his manor, missing few points. His own old soldier’s eye noted how she held herself stiff in the upper body, the slight hitch in gait. They were looking to hide, not harm. “And they may not be needed anyway,” he pointed out to his put-upon butler. “It’s a rough stormy night, surely the morning is soon enough to turn them out if we have a mind to.”

The moment was just long enough for a hidden sigh. “I’ll monitor the feeds then, shall I?” Nick said, proper disapproval evident in his voice. “That’s just fine,” Raine said soothingly. “Now, get a welcome basket ready – some of the smoked pork, whatever’s left of the fresh bread, tonight’s soup if there is any left, and… yes, bandages. Painkillers too.” “Bandages?” Nick sounded startled. “Bandages,” Raine responded firmly. “Painkillers too.”

A short time later Raine was trudging through the pelting rain, calling himself several kinds of idiot. Yes, the person was clearly injured, certainly looking for a discreet location to shelter. That didn’t make them a victim, or someone being hunted: they could as easily be a new and dangerous presence in the mountains. He snorted briefly at that thought, thinking of the many hidden dangers in these mountains. He was one of them, after all. He hadn’t been completely stupid – under the heavy waterproof cloak his warm clothing was sturdy leather, and while he was unarmed he also shouldn’t need a weapon if things turned violent. One arm held a well covered basket filled with food, bandages, and a selection of painkillers. It remained to be seen if it would be needed. He paused outside the mill, considering how to approach, and decided on directness. He rapped his knuckles sharply on the door and took on a cheerful, slightly baffled mein. “Hello the mill,” he called out. “Dinnae fear, ah’ve come with food.”

[Marshmallow]

A knock at the door shattered the fragile peace the huntress had claimed for herself in the old mill. It was followed by a man’s voice. He sounded benign enough, calling greetings and offering food.

Takui hissed a curse under her breath. Of course, an empty shelter out here was too good to be true. She must have been more exhausted than she thought. Not only had she mistaken the place for deserted, she’d even let herself be seen. Stupid. Stupid!


“Place looked empty,” she called back from her position on the floor. The owner’s untimely arrival had interrupted her in the midst of patching her wounds, and the sting in her ribs made her reluctant to rise. That, and her depleted reagents. She would rather not face a stranger without the glamour to mask her appearance. She reached instead for her revolver and quietly hoped this person knew to leave well enough alone. She wasn't looking for any more battles tonight.

“Only needed a roof ta wait out the storm. I ain’t meanin' no harm, an’ I ain't no thief." Raising her voice enough to be heard over the rain made her chest ache. "I’ll be on my way soon’s it’s passed, scout's honor.”

[Salandis]

“Weel, the place is empty,” Raine called back cheerfully. A non violent verbal response was happily eliminating several of his more reckless imagined scenarios. “Ah dinnae think anyone’s been using the place for three score years or more, and if there’s ought in there tah steal you’d be luckier than most.”

He cursed quietly as he fitted a key to the lock and gave it a hard turn. “And nae hurry tah leave, miss.” He wasn’t stupid enough to think a female voice meant a non-violent one. “It’s like tah be another score or more of years before we’ll need this active again.”

There, the door was unlocked. He turned as he entered and leaned his weight against it, pushing it closed firmly against the storm. He paused a moment in relief, glad to be out of the wind and rain, before shucking off the cloak. “Ah’ve also brought some medical supplies, as…” he trailed off as he turned around.

His guest was lying against some of the stored crates in the main room, heavy overcoat to one side, binding her ribs. Her pale skin tone and red eyes indicated her lineage quite clearly. He paused only a moment, and then opened the basket, pulling out another roll of clean linen bandaging. “Ah thought so,” he said calmly. “Those look bruised, if not broken. Ah’d say a weeks rest tah let those set proper would be a good idea,” he went on, “And with the food are some standard painkillers.” He walked into the room slowly, not getting close, but enough to rest the basket away from the rain sleeting in through the broken window. “Ah’m sure the bedframe in the side room is still good, but we’ll need a mattress from storage after the storm is passed.”

He shook water out of his hair, looking around the mill speculatively. “Anything else yeh need? It’s not seen use for three or four score years, ah’ve no clue what it’s lacking.”

[Marshmallow]

She cursed bitterly as she heard the door lock turn, watched it open and a man come shuffling inside. Couldn’t leave her to her business after all. A hermit living this far from the city probably had a few screws loose, but did he lack all instincts for self-preservation? What kind of person would willingly corner themselves with a possible threat?

Her hand tightened around the revolver. As the stranger turned to face her, she levelled it at his head. She wasn’t keen on harming a human, but if he started making too much ruckus about a vampire in his mill, she’d do what she had to survive.


He looked at her. Looked right at her. She didn’t have her glamour to hide behind. Her skin was pale as the moon, eyes red as spilled blood and hair blacker than sin. She saw it in his face, however briefly, that he’d noticed she wasn’t normal.

And all he had to say was that she should rest to let her bones set. Held out an extra roll of fresh bandages. Offered food, medical supplies, and seemed - if anything - to be inviting her to stay rather than ushering her out the door.

He inched closer and laid a basket on the floor, just outside of reach. He was keeping his distance, and she, like a cornered animal, never took her eyes off him as he moved.
Takui stared, unblinking. Too shaken by his lack of reaction to react herself. Ever so slowly, she lowered the revolver. The hammer wasn't even cocked.


“Weren’t askin’ fer no help from y’all,” she said, carefully eyeing the basket. “But ain’t gonna look a gift horse in the mouth, neither. Mighty gracious of ya, sir. Y'ain’t boutta run off ‘n tell folk ya seen me here though, are ya?”

[Salandis]

Raine hadn’t worried much about the vampire, or the revolver. It looked to be a powerful thing, but he knew most guns wouldn’t hurt him that badly. Might take out an eye, if he was unlucky, but otherwise only bruise. Which is more than what any vampire had ever done to him without a weapon. Whoever the lass was, she was shaken up a bit though – not that you could easily tell, but something in the posture, something in the stare…

For all that, she bore the scars and equipment of someone used to hard fighting. It had been a long time, but his own body bore similar scars (though fewer) and he knew how they were made. A hard lass, which meant she had likely come out best of whatever cracked her ribs, injuries be damned.

Her question caught him slightly off guard. “No more than anyone could offer to to help,” he said simply, “and I don’t get visitors much.” He tried a disarming smile, then sobered. “Ah’ll nae tell you’re here, lass, nae more than I’ll turn you out injured.” He nodded firmly, then thought a moment. “You’re not hunted, are yeh?” He glanced around the mill, re-familiarizing himself with it. “If company might come calling, you’d be better at the main house. The stone here is hefty, but the manor is more defensible, and warmer tae boot. Although…”

The main room had a fireplace, and it should have been kept clear. He walked over to and pulled off a sheet-covered bundle nearby, showing a pile of firewood. Even now his old staff knew his ways. A moment later he had settled down to work. “A little bit of effort, and this place warms up nicely,” he said, putting his attention on the fire. The wood was old and dry, some of it crumbling as he stacked it – which was just fine, since he didn’t have tinder with him. He was at least happy enough that she wasn’t going to try and kill him, and showing her his back was probably the fastest way to get her guard down that he knew.

[Marshmallow]

You’re not hunted, are you?


The question hung in the air even after the strange man turned his attention to the fireplace. From his perspective, it probably made perfect sense to ask. He’d likely never know just how accurate he was.

A long silence followed as Takui watched him, staring as though the answers to who he was and why he would help were written on his back. She had never once believed in the kindness of strangers, and quietly waited for the other shoe to drop. He would want something. They always did.

But until then, she would avail herself of his offerings. Moving stiffly and with a hiss of discomfort, Takui reached for the basket and dragged it over. Between glances at the Irishman, she rummaged through it, leaving the food where it lay for now and pulling out bandages and antiseptic. She dry swallowed a handful of painkillers without checking the dosage, and went back to work patching herself up.

“Not expecting no company,” she grunted, finally answering the hanging question. “Just ran up on some hard luck is all. Ain’t none you gotta worry about, friend.”

[Salandis]

Raine considered the words as the tinder caught, quickly stacking kindling over the growing flame. Probably she was telling the truth, he decided. Not second best from that last encounter at all, and probably nothing hot on her tail now.

“That’s to the good then,” he said calmly, setting a larger fuel log near enough to catch once the tinder was properly burning. “It’s a funny old world, but would be worse if everyone were the same, if yeh will.” He stood up and stretched out his back, looking to see if the chimney was properly drawing smoke.  It was, which meant the place had been well cleaned this last winter. “Ah’ve no patience for them as kills what’s different, and if there are strange folk in these hills, weel, Ah’ve friends out there too.”

He glanced over at his guest, noting her familiarity with patching herself up. He felt a sliver of unease as he considered her state and equipment, but then mentally shrugged. He could worry about what exactly she was later, if she stayed and there was a later.  Certainly she wouldn't be the first stray he took in that bit back.  In the meantime he busied himself by closing the shutters over the broken window, and then prying the door key off the ring.

“When the storm passes we can get that mattress in,” he said. “The glass may wait some until we get the smith around next. In the meantime, ah’ll leave yeh the key.”   His tone softened a little as he went on, “Ah work tah keep this valley a sanctuary.”  He thought a moment about offering safety, but realised immediately that would probably be insulting.  The fire crackled a moment as the kindling caught, and then he mournfully picked up his cape. “D’yeh need ought else before I head back intah the cold?”